Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to activate collective defence measures and rapidly deploy military forces to the Gulf kingdom following a series of attacks claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement.
The decision came after the defence and foreign ministers of the three countries held an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Monday. It was the first activation of the trilateral Mecca Defence Alliance since the pact was signed on August 7.
Under the agreement, an attack on any one of the three countries is treated as an attack on all. A joint statement said Türkiye and Pakistan would provide agreed military forces and capabilities for rapid deployment to Saudi Arabia, subject to their national laws and approved arrangements.
Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman said the alliance had agreed to activate “collective deterrence measures” in response to the attacks and those responsible.
The move follows escalating fighting in Yemen. Forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia, have launched a counteroffensive against the Iran-aligned Houthis and claimed to have retaken the Red Sea port of Mocha and secured areas near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait.
The Saudi-led coalition has also said about 100 fighter jets are supporting the offensive. The Houthis, meanwhile, have claimed attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco facility, although Riyadh has not confirmed the claims.
According to Al Jazeera, analysts view the activation of the pact as an important step towards a more structured regional security arrangement. Abdulaziz Alghashian of the Gulf International Forum said the Houthi attacks had accelerated the development of the alliance.
The three countries together have nearly 1.4 million active troops and significant air, land and naval capabilities, according to the 2026 Global Firepower Index. The activation of the pact could therefore mark a major shift in the security balance around the Red Sea and Gulf region.
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